In today’s society there are many pressing controversial topics, such as gay rights. The way these topics are argued varies, the author can use emotion, statistics, personal experience, morals, and many other things; however the author takes a gamble in effectiveness with each style used. In LZ Grandersons, “The Gay Agenda,” Granderson uses emotional appeal and personal experience to present his argument and this proves to be very successful in engaging a strong reaction from the reader. By taking the reader on his journey of realizing his sexuality, from the moment he realized he should come out, to finding his life partner, and realizing that there was a large issue in the way homosexuals were treated and thought about, Granderson created …show more content…
He also bonds with his reader by sharing the vulnerable moment when he felt touched with the movie, “ I remember that scene like it was yesterday; I was 16, I was in tears, I was in the closet, and I’m looking at these two people, Ferris Bueller and some guy I’d never seen before, fighting for love.” (2:02) He relates the reader to his feelings by pulling in his emotion at the time. The reader can understand how this scene of the movie made him feel. The reader can also empathize with Granderson when he says the phrase that he was in the closest. The reader begins to understand he’s confused and has mixed emotions about his own identity, they can feel for the challenge he is facing at this time in his life. Each reader can relate to a time in their lives when they were a confused and emotional teenager. He then continues to tell the reader that he reached a –point in his life where he accepted who he was and he was happy. This is relatable because the reader has either had this moment, or is waiting to experience this. The relatable experience Granderson presents to the reader helps to compel the reader to feel for his argument. Although he comes forth with his true identity and allows himself to be happy, his content is short-lived. Granderson soon realizes that society isn’t as accepting of his happiness, “In fact, I heard that there was a lot of hate and a lot of anger and a lot of frustration and a lot of fear about who I was in the gay lifestyle.” (2:30) The realization that Granderson comes across, is also very intriguing to thee reader. The reader becomes aware of the injustice that Granderson experiences by being robbed of a judgment free happiness. Not only does this allow the reader to relate but this creates empathy for Granderson from the reader. The previously built bond sends the reader in a
critical thinking and argument, with readings. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Stoddard, T. B. & Co. (2005). The 'Standard' of the 'St Gay marriages: should they be legalized? In Barnet S., & Bedau H. (Eds.)
In Vicki L. Eaklor’s Queer America, the experiences of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people in the years since the 1970s gay liberation movement are described as a time of transformation and growth. The antigay movement, threatened, now more than ever, created numerous challenges and obstacles that are still prevalent today. Many of the important changes made associated with the movement were introduced through queer and queer allied individuals and groups involved in politics. Small victories such as the revision of the anti discrimination statement to include “sexual orientation”, new propositions regarding the Equal Rights Amendment and legalized abortion, were met in turn with growing animosity and resistance from individuals and groups opposed to liberal and
Society has grown to accept and be more opened to a variety of new or previously shunned cultural repulsions. Lesbians, transgenders, and gays for example were recognized as shameful mistakes in society. In the story Giovanni 's Room, the author James Baldwin explores the hardships of gays in the 1960. The book provides reasons why it is difficult for men to identify themselves as homosexuals. This is shown through the internalized voice of authority, the lack of assigned roles for homosexuals in society and the consequences entailed for the opposite gender.
homosexual liberation. Some have demonstrated their anger and concerns about prejudice against homosexuals in both riots and artistic forms. Therefore, these people seek to prove to the heterosexual world that homosexual ‘deviancy’ was a myth.
While taking a course in college I learned about various issues that America is facing today, and has faced before, some being the viewing of the film Milk and discussions on brave acts Harvey Milk and others demonstrated to fight for what they believed in involving same sex marriage. I believe that adults have the right to be with whomever they would like, and that there is an issue with love vs. law today in society. Many people have been through Joseph Campbell’s theory The Hero’s Journey to have same sex marriage legalized and acknowledged. “It's fair to say that Milk spoke out as an advocate for gay rights, prompting more and more gays and lesbians to come out of their closets and thus increasing their visibility enormously. Whereas before, the gays were attacked helplessly by crazy people”(McCarthy). If it were not for Milk and him being an openly gay elected official fighting for the LGBT community, some of the gay rights we have today may not have been acknowledged. In this paper, I will examine the brave acts of Harvey Milk to Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey concept.
David Wojnarowicz’s 1990 “One day this kid…” piece uses the pathos of a kid done harm in an attempt to get the audience to take a hard look at how their and others actions effect homosexuals, and whether its warranted. The artist goes through a long list of trials and tribulations that effect homosexuals, and then uses the picture of a kid to put it in the context of not just supposed problems a gay person could encounter, but of wrongs done to this kid specifically. This is then reinforced when David gets to the second column where he addresses specific responses his opposition might think of such as laws, repression, which he phrases as being forcibly silenced and evokes thoughts of unhealthiness, or psychology in all of the horror its practice
...the narrator and all people a way of finding meaning in their pains and joys. The two brothers again can live in brotherhood and harmony.
He points out the fourteenth amendment which clearly states that there should be no laws that alter the rights of any citizens. Granderson explains that he presented this version of the “gay agenda” to show that members of the LGBT community are not asking for new rights, they only want equal rights like everyone else. He states that the reason he made the majority of his speech funny is so his audience would not feel threatened by the severity of this topic. Granderson talks about how his son is a respectful young man. He says his son does very well in school, is a budding track star, and pray every night before eating his dinner. Granderson says that he would like to think that since his son lives him for the majority of the time, he would like to think that some of it could be attributed to him. Then points out the fact that even if he wanted to, there are some states where he cannot adopt a child due to the fact he is gay. The audiences faces look somewhat painstaking at this point because they are realizing how big of a problem this
“The story employs a dramatic point of view that emphasizes the fragility of human relationships. It shows understanding and agreemen...
As the political consultant for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community (LGBT), my duties are to push for the basic rights of the individuals who do, or cannot (in fear), identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. As the nation stands right now, being attracted to someone of the opposite sex is considered unnatural, unethical, and a choice to exist against God. However, the foundation that this nation was built upon was created centuries ago, and to be unwilling to change in time would be an inaccurate interpretation of the Constitution. My goals are to address the changes in time, and advance the civil rights that human beings deserve. I will discuss non-violent direct actions that can raise awareness, political actions that can create a strong voice for the community, and use of the court system to give the rights that the LGBT community deserves.
“The unprecedented growth of the gay community in recent history has transformed our culture and consciousness, creating radically new possibilities for people to ‘come out’ and live more openly as homosexuals”(Herdt 2). Before the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York, homosexuality was a taboo subject. Research concerning homosexuality emphasized the etiology, treatment, and psychological adjustment of homosexuals. Times have changed since 1969. Homosexuals have gained great attention in arts, entertainment, media, and politics. Yesterday’s research on homosexuality has expanded to include trying to understand the different experiences and situations of homosexuals (Ben-Ari 89-90).
It is apparent that Scott Bidstrup is trying to persuade his audience to agree with his ideas. He relates to the topic being a homosexual himself, and uses his own beliefs and concerns to argue why same-sex marriage should be legal, along with factual information. Using his own personal experiences and feelings on the issue, he debates why he believes people ...
I want you to become aware of what we have done and take action to stop people to be happy, to respect their way of thinking, acting, and living. My purpose in writing this paper is to present my points of view on how society has changed as the years go by. Also how homosexuals have fought for many years and all the different struggles they have managed to get the rights they deserve and one day had which were then taken away because they became themselves and also because of the ignorance of some people.
An issue that has, in recent years, begun to increase in arguments, is the acceptability of homosexuality in society. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, it was considered a secret to be kept from all family, friends, and society. However, it seems that society has begun to accept this lifestyle by allowing same sex couples. The idea of coming out of the closet has moved to the head of homosexual individuals when it used to be the exception.
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the 1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.